Annual Meeting of the Austrian Polar Research Institute

The annual meeting of the Austrian Polar Research Institute from November 8th to November 9th on the Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG) was a great success. During one and a half days with fifteen scientific presentations, the different working groups gave insights into their activities and ongoing research. Kinga Nędza-Sikoniowska from the Institute of Russia and Eastern Europe at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and Eva Kotašková from the Department of Sociology at Masaryk University in Brno, held exciting guest lectures on temporariness of the Siberian city of Igarka and Wilderness tourism on Svalbard, respectively. On the evening of November 8th, Christoph Ruhsam gave a fascinating presentation of his new book “Frozen Latitudes – A photographic tribute to the beauty of the High Arctic”.

The Austrian Polar Research Institute wants to thank all participating working groups, the guest lecturers, Christoph Ruhsam, and the ZAMG for making this such an inspiring workshop!

Christoph Ruhsam presenting his book “Frozen Latitudes – a photographic tribute to the beauty of the High Arctic” in the Alte Kapelle at the campus of the University of Vienna

Second Arctic Science Ministerial

On October 25th and 26th, science ministers, researchers and representatives of international organizations and Arctic Indigenous peoples gathered in Berlin to discuss the future of Arctic research. With the aim of enhancing our knowledge about the rapidly changing Arctic, the Second Arctic Science Ministerial acted as a forum for discussing avenues for international cooperation in Arctic research. Andreas Richter and Wolfgang Schöner from the Austrian Polar Research Institute attended the Science Forum of the Arctic Science Ministerial.

On the occasion of the Arctic Ministerial, Austria gave a Country Statement, which can be read here.

Austria furthermore signed the Joint Statement of Ministers, which can be read here.

Public Lecture – Christoph Ruhsam: „Frozen Latitudes – A photographic tribute to the beauty of the High Arctic”

We have the pleasure to announce a public lecture by Christoph Ruhsam in the context of the APRI Annual Meeting 2018.

Ruhsam will present his new book „Frozen Latitudes – A photographic tribute to the beauty of the High Arctic”. He will show photographs from the High Arctic of Greenland and Franz Josef Land which is undergoing a fundamental change by becoming un-frozen.

Thursday, November 8th, 6:30-8:00 pm

Alte Kapelle in the Campus of the University of Vienna (Altes AKH)

The entrance is free.

Andreas Richter on the importance of basic climate change research

Ecologist Andreas Richter writes about the importance of fundamental climate change research in the Newsletter of the Environmental Sciences Research Network. Read the article here.

Peter Schweitzer on Climate Change in the Newsletter of the Environmental Sciences Research Network

Social and cultural anthropologist Peter Schweitzer talks about the impacts of climate change on infrastructure and social life in the Arctic in the latest newsletter of the Environmental Sciences Research Network at the University of Vienna.

APRI General Assembly 2018

This year’s APRI General Assembly takes place from November 8th – November 9th at the ZAMG in Vienna.

Members of the working groups are kindly asked to confirm their participation by September 30th to office@polarresearch.at.

On the evening of November 8th, there will be a public talk by Christopher Ruhsam, who will present his latest book „Frozen Latitudes – A photographic tribute to the beauty of the High Arctic”. The event takes place in the Alte Kapelle at the Campus of the University of Vienna.

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Peter Schweitzer on climate change in the uni:view Magazin

Social and cultural anthropologist Peter Schweitzer talks about why climate change is interesting for anthropologists in the current issue of Uni Vienna’s uni:view Magazin. The interview addresses the “Semesterfrage” – the question of the semester: “How can we save our climate?”.

High North News writes about APRIs’ 5th Anniversary

High North News wrote about the APRI and the celebration of its fifth anniversary in Vienna in April. You can read the article here.

FWF START grant – great success for Gina Moseley!

Gina Moseley, geographer and FWF Hertha Firnberg Fellow at the Department of Geology at the University of Innsbruck and member of the APRI Faculty, was awarded the €1.1 million grant for her outstanding research on speleothems in North-East Greenland. The project aims at a better understanding of climate change in the Arctic through the study of sinter deposits in caves, also known as speleothems. Speleothems are unique climate archive providing invaluable insights into past periods of changing climate, thus adding new perspectives to the field of paleoclimatology. In particular, the planned research has a very high potential to extend the understanding of climate change in Greenland for periods not covered by ice cores from the Greenland Ice Sheet. The grant will allow Moseley to establish an arctic speleothem working group and to expand speleothem research, which to date has been focused on lower latitudes, to the Arctic.

The FWF START Programme provides outstanding young researchers from any discipline with extensive financial security to plan long-term research and to build up or consolidate their own research groups.

The APRI Steering Committee cordially congratulates Gina Moseley!

You can read more about Gina’s project and the other awarded projects and grantees here.

Fifth Anniversary of the Austrian Polar Research Institute

The Austrian Polar Research Institute celebrated its fifth Anniversary on April 10th. Approximately 80 people joined the celebration in the Sky Lounge of the University of Vienna. The highlight of the evening was the keynote by glaciologist Jason Box who gave a thought-provocing talk on climate change and its effects on the Greenlandic ice sheet. The audience was given a glimpse into the history and the aims of the APRI, and a short film and poster exhibition provided insights into research activities currently being carried out by members of the institute. The party continued over some wine and snacks.